Wen Fu handed Yun Jin a jade slip, raising his brow slightly. "This is the Yuehua Sect's secret art: the Nine Dragon Codex. It is a high-grade Earth-rank cultivation method. When cultivated to the profound level, one can summon nine dragons, achieving an effect similar to that of a Beastmaster."
He paused.
Everyone present listened attentively.
Judging from the description, this Nine Dragon Codex sounded absolutely heaven-defying.
"But the requirements to even begin this art are extremely strict. A single-attribute spiritual root is necessary, and only under countless coincidences and opportunities can one successfully enter. Shocked by the description, countless disciples of Yuehua Sect threw themselves into researching this art. Over the years, quite a number have managed to enter the first threshold.
However, when they cultivated further, they discovered the truth. The Nine Dragon Codex can indeed summon nine divine dragons, but each dragon's cultivation base is a whole major realm lower than the cultivator! A Golden Core stage cultivator could only summon Foundation Establishment level dragons. With such a disparity in strength, those summoned dragons were practically useless. Difficult to enter, harder to cultivate, yet yielding only mediocre results… This technique became nothing more than a chicken rib: tasteless, yet a pity to discard.
Sect Master Yun, you are a heaven-sent genius. If anyone could improve this technique, it would be you." Wen Fu smiled as he flattered Yun Jin.
High-grade Earth-rank!
The Nine Dragon Codex!
Whispers rippled across the hall.
A challenge this difficult, right from the start?
Refine a high-grade Earth-rank codex within the time it takes a stick of incense to burn?
It was an impossible task.
And when she failed…
Would Yun Jin truly cripple her own cultivation without resistance?
Instinctively, people looked toward the disciples of Wushuang Sect. The sect stood as it was today only because of Yun Jin. If she fell, they too would be finished.
Yet now…
Not a trace of worry showed on the Wushuang Sect disciples' faces. Instead, when they noticed others staring, they even looked back with smug pride.
Everyone was bewildered.
They were already pitying Yun Jin, yet her disciples were brimming with confidence? Did they really believe she could accomplish something so outrageous?
While others were filled with doubt, the Wushuang Sect disciples exuded superiority. These outsiders had no idea how terrifying their Sect Master truly was. She was the reincarnation of a deity.
Even something as heaven-defying as the Trial Tower had been casually produced by her. To think she would be troubled by a mere codex refinement? Absurd.
Prepare to tremble, mortals.
"Sect Master Yun, do you dare accept?" Wen Fu smiled at her.
By now, he expected Yun Jin to regret everything.
But it was too late.
She had recklessly signed a Heavenly Dao contract. There was no turning back.
Yun Jin raised her brows, taking the jade slip directly. "A trifling high-grade Earth-rank codex. What difficulty is there?"
She stood, her gaze calm as she looked down on Wen Fu. "Sect Master Wen, light the incense." Her tone carried nothing but command, as though Wen Fu were her subordinate.
His expression darkened. Only the thought that Yun Jin would soon be crippled kept him from exploding in rage. With a grim face, he lit the first stick of incense.
"System, scan."
The results came instantly. Yun Jin glanced at Wen Fu. This was indeed a high-grade Earth-rank technique… but it was incomplete. Important passages were missing. He had given her a broken codex.
Yun Jin's lips curved into a cold smile. Whether Wen Fu had deliberately removed parts or whether the codex was always incomplete, his intent was malicious.
But such tricks were useless against her. The system provided a complete refinement almost instantly. Yun Jin even created a second version with a hidden backdoor.
Still, she deliberately waited.
Only when the incense was nearly burned out, when Wen Fu and the others could no longer hide the excitement on their faces, did she finally inscribe the completed codex with a look of calm indifference.
"Finished."
The words left her mouth just as the incense burned away. The smile on Wen Fu's face froze, turning into doubt. "You claim to have successfully refined this high-grade Earth-rank codex?"
"A trivial matter." Yun Jin raised her brows.
"Let me see." Wen Fu strode forward impatiently.
Yun Jin smiled faintly. "Why so hasty? If you take the codex, what if you deny the result? We already signed a Heavenly Dao contract. Whether this refinement is successful or not, let the Heavenly Dao judge."
She placed the jade slip upon the platform. "I request Heavenly Dao verification."
Lin Xiao frowned.
Would the Heavenly Dao really bother with such a thing?
Every day countless cultivators forged Heavenly Dao contracts, and the Heavenly Dao only made rough judgments. With some tricks, it was possible to evade its ruling. If it had to arbitrate even this, would it not be far too busy?
Was Yun Jin simply grasping at straws?
He opened his mouth to speak, but in the next instant…
A vast and overwhelming presence descended.
It was deep, immeasurable.
The moment it appeared, everyone except Yun Jin—including Lin Xiao himself—was frozen in place, unable to move.
Lin Xiao's eyes widened in disbelief.
It was truly the Heavenly Dao.
Why would the Heavenly Dao descend at this moment?
Could it be… it had been watching Yun Jin all along?
Yun Jin's lips curved in a smile. The Heavenly Dao had long since birthed self-awareness, but bound by its own rules, it could not freely meddle in worldly affairs.
Now, however, she had laid down the Heavenly Dao contract. Its intervention was rightful, unavoidable. And once it acted, fairness was absolute.
That was exactly what she wanted. In an instant, a single word manifested in the air.
"Success."
It was done.
Yun Jin had refined the codex.
An uproar erupted below.
She had succeeded?
How was that possible?
But Heavenly Dao's judgment could not be wrong.
Within a single stick of incense, a high-grade Earth-rank codex had truly been refined.
Was Yun Jin even human, or was she a monster?
Aside from the Wushuang Sect disciples, who looked entirely unsurprised, the rest could only stare in speechless shock.
This contest…
With the Heavenly Dao as witness, everything was different.
Victory or defeat was now indisputable. No one could cheat.
Yun Jin looked across at the grim-faced sect masters and laughed softly. "There are fourteen more codices. Put them all out. My time is precious. I will not waste it here."
Her tone brimmed with arrogance.
Yet no one dared dismiss her. She had already succeeded once. At Lin Xiao's gesture, the sect masters placed their jade slips one by one upon the platform.
Finally, Lin Xiao stepped forward and laid down a slip of his own.
"Yun Sect Master, you may begin." His voice was cold.
He had to admit: Yun Jin had once again surpassed his expectations.
But no matter her skill, she could not possibly complete this challenge. Because the codex he had placed… was a demonic secret art. That the Qingxiao Pavilion held demonic codices was nothing strange. Over the years, they had slain many demons and naturally seized their spoils.
But Yun Jin…
She was a spiritual cultivator. If she could even refine a demonic codex…
Would she still be considered human?
No, she would instantly be branded a demonic spy. If she could not refine it, then by the fairness of the Heavenly Dao, Yun Jin would cripple her own cultivation, reduced forever to an insect trampled beneath others' feet. After all, the wager had never specified that the codex must be of cultivation.
Either way…
He had already set the board. The deadlock was sealed.
Lin Xiao's lips curved into a faint, cold smile.
This time, he would win.